Coin-controlled opera-glass



(No Model.)

T. H. COSTELLO.

G01N GONTROLLBD OPERA GLASS.

110.4401248. Patented Nov. 11,1890.

m11 im mnfur UN-rrno STATES ATENT Erice.

THOMAS H. COSTELLO, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COIN-CONTROLLED OPERA-GLASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,248, dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed October l, 1889. Serial No. 325.712. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAs H. COSTELLO, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coin-Controlled Opera- Glasses, ot'which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, 'in which Figure l is front elevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, one tube of the opera-glass being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the retaining device for the opera-glass handle, and the coin-receptacle, the handle being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section at line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing the locking devices in position to receive and hold the handle of the Opera-glass. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section at line G 6 of Fig. l.

The Object of this invention is to provide opera-glasses for the use of patrons of theaters and other places of amusement, which operaglasses are to be held by devices secured to `the backs of the seats in such places, and can only be released for use after the insertion of a coin of the proper denomination into a slot in the box containing locking mechanism, as illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described.

That which I claim as new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents an operaglass of the ordinary construction.

B is a handle, which, as shown, is pivotally secured at a to arms d', which are secured to the opera-glass frame. As shown, the lower end of this handle is provided with an enlargement or ring l), the purpose ot' which will be hereinafter described.

C represents a bracket., which is to be attached to the back D of an Opera-chair. The

horizontal portion of this bracket consists of two arms, to each of which is attached by a screw or otherwise a cup or receptacle c, in which one of the tubes of the opera-glass can be placed, as shown in Figs. l and 2, when the glass and handle are in the position shown in such gures.

E represents a socket, within which is a holder for the lower end of the handle B, which holder, as shown, consists of spring arms or jaws d, connected at their lower ends with a base-piece F and made integral therewith, which arms d are formed in the shape of a socket at their upper ends and have a groove on their inner faces to receive the ring b on the lower end of the handle B. The sides of the jaws d are out away, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to allow them toexpand when their ends are projected beyond the end of the socket E, so as to receive the end of the handle B or permit it to be withdrawn.

G is a case, the part G and side wall Gr3 of which are, as shown, made from the same piece of metal as the socket E. A portion of the upper end of the part G next to the socket E is extended to nearly the upper end of such socket, and to this extension is attached a piece of metal e, leaving a narrow channel f between it and the socket E.

G is a cover for the case G. It may be secured in place by screws, as shown, or in any suitable manner.

'g is a coin-slot formed in the upper wall of the case G, and 7L is a similar slot in the lower wall of the case.

H is a strip of metalA in the case G, its upper end terminating in a narrow tongue t', which fits in the channel f, and thus keeps the strip Il in place at its upper end. This piece H is provided on one edge with a projection j, which passes through a slot in the socket E and enters a recess in the basepiece F, so that when such base-piece and its jaws d are moved up or down the strip H will also be moved in the same direction.

lo is a shoulder on the strip H, and Z is a rounded projection on the side of such strip.

I is a plate, which lies int-he case G, and is pivoted at one of its lower corners to the part G of the case G, as shown at m. This plate is provided at one of its upper corners witha projection n, located. a short distance above the shoulder k and adapted to engage with such shoulder. The plate I is thinner than the strip H and the rounded projection Z on the strip H extends over such plate.

o is a piece of metal secured to or formed integral with the plate I at one side` of such plate. As shown, a curved recess is out in the inner edge of this piece 0,which corresponds to the circle of the coin designed to be used with the device.

IOO

pis a iat spring secured in any suitable manner to the edge of the plate I or to the side wall of the case G and acting to force the plate over, so that in its normal position the projection n will be over the shoulder k.

q represents the coin employed for effecting the release of the opera-glass handle B from the jaws d.

J'is the cash-receptacle, which is secured to the lower end of the socket E and case G in any suitable manner. As shown, two screws r sare used to connect these parts. There is a slotin the top of the cash-receptacle immediately below the slot h for the admission of a coin. The cash-receptacle is to be provided with a suitable door and lock.

The cashreceptacle,with the socket E and case G secured thereto, is to be secured to the back of an operachair by screws, as shown, or in any suitable manner, so that the socket E will be in proper position to receive the lower end of the opera-glass handle and have it held by the jaws d.

When the socket E, case G, and cash-receptacle J are first secured in place, the spring- `jaws d are to be left projecting from the end of the socket in position to receive the end of the handle B, as shown in Fig. 5. To secure the opera-glass in place its handle B is turned,

as shown in Figs. l and 2, and its lower end placed in the expanded jaws d, and by pressling down on the handle the jaws will be forced into the socket E and firmly against the enlargement or ring b on the handle, as shown in Fig. 4. At the same time that the handle is thus forced down the tubes of the opera-glass will be seated in the cups or receptacles c on the bracket C. When the handle B has been clamped by the jaws, as just described, it cannot be removed until a coin of the proper denomination has been first deposited in the case G, for the reason that the strip H, which is connected to and moves with the base-piece F and its jaws d, cannot be raised sufficiently to project the jaws d from the socket on account of the engagement of the shoulder 7c on the strip H with the projection fn on the plate I, which plate I is held by the springs p, so as to lock the strip H, as shown in Fig. 4. With the opera-glass secured in this manner, it is necessary in order to detach it from its fastenings for use, to insert a coin of the proper denomination in the slot g, when it will fall into the position shown in Fig. 4, one edge of the coin resting in the curved recess in the piece o and the opposite edge resting against the rounded projection l, as showt in Fig. 4. The handle B is to be then pulled upward, carrying with it of course the jaws d and their base-piece F and the strip H, the rounded projection Z on the strip H, during the upward movement of the strip, being forced against the coin g, and through theY coin forcing back the pivoted plate I. When the rounded projection lis opposite the center of the coin, the upper end of the plate I will have been forced back sufficiently far to prevent engagement between the shoulder lo on the strip H and t-he projection n, allowing the piece F to be pulled up far enough to permit the jaws CZ to project beyond the end of the socket E, when they will expand sufiiciently to allow of the handle B being removed. After the rounded projection Zhas passed the centerof the coin the coin will be released and will fall through the slot h in the bottom of the case G and the slot in the top of the receptacle .I into such-receptacle.

The pieces F and I-I are prevented from be ing pulled upward too far bythe piece e, with which the shoulder It on the strip H comes in contact.

When the handle B has been replaced in the jaws d and such handle and jaws pushed down into the socket E, as shown in Fig. 4, the opera-glass cannot be again withdrawn for use until another coin has been inserted, as before, for .as soon as the shoulder lo has passed the projection n the pivoted plate I will be forced over by the action of the spring p, so that the projection fn will engage the shoulder h if an attempt is made to withdraw the handle B without inserting a coin.

After the opera-glass and its handle have been detached from their fastenings, as described, the glass orhandle is to be turned on the pivot a sufficiently to bring them into such relation with each other that the glass can be used while the handle B is held in the hand of the user.

What I claim as new, and desire to secureA by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. An opera-glass having a handle attached thereto, in combination with devices for receiving and holding such handle until released by the action of a coin, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of an opera-glass having a handle attached thereto, a bracket to receive and hold the opera-glass, and devices for receiving and holding the opera-glass handle until released by the action of a coin, substantially as specified.

3. Thesocket E, and base-piece F, provided with clamping-jaws on its upper en d, adapted to retain an opera-glass handle, in combination with a case G, and devices for locking the jaws d against upward movement until acted upon by a coin placed in the case G, substantially as described.

4L. The socket E,base-piece F, provided with jaws d, and strip H, engaging with the piece F and having a shoulder le and projection l, in combination with the plate I, havinga projection n and block o, and a spring p, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

THOMAS I-I. COSTELLO.

Witnesses:

ALBERT I-I. ADAMs, HARRY T. JONES.

ICO 

